Population and Demographics

Finland numbers 5,288,483 inhabitants (2007) and has an average population density of 16 inhabitants per square kilometre. This makes it, after Norway and Iceland, the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Finland's population has always been concentrated in the southern parts of the country, which is even more pronounced after the 20th century urbanisation. The biggest and most important cities in Finland are the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area (including the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen), and Tampere, Turku, and Oulu.

Since the late 1990s, Finland has received refugees and immigrants at a rate comparable with the other Nordic countries, although the total ethnic-minority population remains far lower in Finland than the rest. Finland is an ethnically very homogeneous country. A considerable proportion of immigrants originates from the former Soviet Union claiming ethnic (Finnic) kinship. However, over 20 languages are now spoken in Finland by immigrant groups of significant size - that is, with at least a thousand speakers.

The Sami are an indigenous people living in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. Known widely in the past as Lapps, the term "Lapp" is now considered derogatory by many Sami. In addition to their own Sami languages, they have their own way of life, identity and culture. Common history, traditions, livelihoods and customs unite the Sami living in different countries. In total, there are about 75,000 to 100,000 Samis, of which less than 7,000 live in Finland, forming roughly 0.1% of the population.

Most Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (84.2%). A minority belongs to the Finnish Orthodox Church (1.1%) and to the Pentecostal movement (1.0%). Other Protestant denominations (totalling 1.1%) and the Roman Catholic Church in Finland are significantly smaller, as are the Muslim, Jewish and other non-Christian communities. The main Lutheran and Orthodox churches are the official churches of Finland. However, church attendance is much lower than these figures may suggest. Most of the population holds generally secular views.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 5,288,483
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 449,548/female 433,253)
  • 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,768,996/female 1,727,143)
  • 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 344,798/female 514,722)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 41.6 years
  • Male: 40 years
  • Female: 43.1 years
• Population Growth Rate: 0.127%
• Birth Rate: 10.42 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 9.93 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.958 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 78.66 years
  • Male: 75.15 years
  • Female: 82.31 years
  • Total Fertility Rate: 1.73 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 1,500
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Finn 93.4%
  • Swede 5.7%
  • Russian 0.4%
  • Estonian 0.2%
  • Roma (Gypsy) 0.2%
  • Sami 0.1%
• Religions:
  • Lutheran Church of Finland 84.2%
  • Orthodox Church 1.1%
  • Other Christian 1.1%
  • Other 0.1%
  • None 13.5%
• Languages:
  • Finnish 92% (official)
  • Swedish 5.6% (official)
  • Other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities)
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 100%
  • Male: 100%
  • Female: 100%